China claims cheap radar hack tracks foreign military ships using enemy tech

Christopher McFadden

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Chinese scientists have allegedly developed a way to "borrow" or "piggyback" radar signals from things like warships or ground-based emitters to locate and track cargo ships at sea. Using passive bistatic radar, the technique only requires a bog standard laptop, an electromagnetic wave analyzer, and a small antenna to work. Published in the Chinese-language journal Radio Science and Technology on December 20, 2023, the system could be helpful for China's electronic warfare capabilities.

Money for old rope

The researchers believe their work has potential applications in electronic reconnaissance, anti-radiation weaponry, ultra-low altitude penetration missions, and stealth technology, reports the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

PBR is a type of radar technology that differs significantly from traditional radar systems in various ways. Unlike conventional radar systems, which use their transmitters to emit signals and then receive reflections from objects, PBR systems rely on external sources of electromagnetic radiation. Outside of the recent Chinese news, PBR systems are widely used by many of the world's armed forces, but their adoption and prevalence can vary widely depending on the country, the specific military needs, and the level of technological advancement.

One example is "Silent Sentry," a passive radar system well-known for its ability to detect and track airborne objects. It was developed by Lockheed Martin and operates by using commercial FM radio signals. One of the key advantages of this system is its low operational cost and reduced electromagnetic footprint, making it a popular choice for many applications.

Radar was invented in 1935, and only the sender or their allies could use its signals originally. It uses electromagnetic waves to locate targets, but this requires knowledge of detailed physical parameters that are only known to the transmitter, and these parameters are constantly changing. To outsiders, these signals appear as a tangled mess, and extracting valuable information from them would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

But that is only part of the problem. Detecting targets at sea using radar is difficult due to the electromagnetic waves reflecting off the waves. This often creates noise that can drown out crucial information, making locating and tracking commercial ships harder. However, Song Jie, a PLA Naval Aviation University scientist, and his team overcame these challenges.

Using a new technique and powerful algorithm, they successfully found all the commercial ships sailing within a 12.4-mile (20 km) radius of the shore. Furthermore, SCMP reports that they collected crucial information regarding the course and velocity of the vessels, which would be extremely useful in the event of an attack utilizing drones or missiles.

Despite the signal source for their practical experiments being a Chinese military radar, Song's team did not use any technical parameters related to it in the experiment. This means that their system can utilize signals from military platforms of any country in real-world scenarios. Song's team is confident their system could use non-friendly radar signals to detect ships entering and leaving ports, an unprecedented feat. "Our system works well for slow-moving targets at sea," the team said. "It can track ships with ease," they added.

Smaller nations could benefit

This technology might not be a significant breakthrough for countries with extensive radar networks like China. However, this could be a life-saving solution for smaller nations or forces whose radars are either destroyed or not affordable. By intercepting and using enemy signals, they could gain a crucial advantage with minimal expense and effort.